The Moments In Between
by Center of the Galaxy
Summary: Ever wonder what would have happened if Angel had been in all the episodes of season one? Well, here's your chance to find out! Slightly AU with a strong Buffy/Angel focus.
1. Witch

_**Author's Note: **I've been dying to do this for a long time! This whole concept was inspired by my mind thinking of what Angel would have done if he had been in those episodes in season 1. I'm looking forward to writing more moments for the rest of the episodes that Angel is missing in season 1. Please enjoy!_

I sighed and ran a hand through my blond hair and hummed the cheerleading music that I was supposed to practice too. Giles, unfortunately, didn't see the importance of my making the cheerleading team and so he had demanded that I go patrol tonight rather than, "waste away time by doing frivolous activities."

I sighed again and took another look at the cemetery. Everything seemed pretty dead tonight. Checking once more for any supernatural activity, I put my stake down and began to run through part of the routine that I had learned at the practice today.

"Nice moves,"

I froze in mid-kick and turned to whoever had talked. He was standing a little bit away from me and even though his face was stoic, I could see a hint of amusement in his eyes.

"Angel," I greeted, unsure whether I should be happy that he was here or worried. "How long have you been there?"

"Long enough," He replied and he walked over to me and handed me a stake. "What were you doing?"

"Cheerleading," I answered automatically and then I blushed. Angel probably wasn't interested in a cheerleader. He probably had a girlfriend. Yeah, he must have a really gorgeous, mature girlfriend. I shook my head and tried to dispel the thoughts about Angel having a girlfriend. "But, it's not like I care if I get on the team or not. I just . . . um . . ."

The amusement increased in his eyes and I felt like kicking myself for acting like an idiot. I bit my lower lip nervously and tried to get back to my senses, but I felt so flustered around him. God, why did I have to act like such an idiot in front of him?

"So, what's going on with you?" I questioned. The last time I had met with Angel, he had given me directions to the Master's lair. His eyes quickly shunned all amusement and were replaced with seriousness.

"There's a witch in town."

I titled my head in confusion.

"As in _ding-dong the wicked witch_ is dead?"

Confusion now graced his features.

"You know, _Wizard of Oz_?" He still didn't seem to get it. "_Somewhere over the rainbow_?"

Still no response.

"Never mind," I continued and I figured that Angel didn't get out much. "So, what's the big deal with having a witch in town?" I twirled my stake around and tried to read Angel's face. His expression was a mix of anger, fear, and neutrality. I couldn't figure out what he was thinking and it was bothering me.

"This witch is angry and the word on the street is that she's the one behind the weird things going on at the high school."

This piqued my interest. With Cordelia losing her sight and Amy spontaneously combusting, I was wondering who was behind all the things at the school. A witch? It did make sense. I would need to talk to Giles then tomorrow and see what he and I could figure out.

"Thanks for the info." I told him, but he was gone. I smiled slightly. Angel was certainly suspicious and yet, I couldn't wait for him to show up again.

I continued my patrol, feeling a strange happiness seep into my system.

_**Author's Note: **Please review! Feedback is important for me!_


	2. The Pack

_**Author's Note: **__Another episode, another chapter! Enjoy!_

If there was no emotion that I hated experiencing more than anything in this world, it was anger. Anger had this horrible way of making you feel upset, alone, and in pain all at the same time. It turned every good situation into a bad one and frankly, it makes a person feel like crap and they push away everyone they care about. Anger, in short, is an emotion that I try very hard to avoid.

But, there are those moments when I lose control over my emotions and let whatever I feel, stay. Today was one of those moments. Xander was really pissing me off! In the course of one day, he had gone from nice, normal Xander to freaky, evil Xander and I had no idea why. That was the part that hurt the most—the not knowing why.

So, what do I do when I get angry? I take it out on some poor vampires who have the misfortune to cross my path. Tonight, I had already dusted six and I was still riled up. This was going to be one long night of patrol. I was rounding the corner when I heard it. A faint crunching of grass came from behind me. I didn't wait and quickly spun around, my stake pose.

"Woah!"

I quickly dropped the stake.

"Angel!" I exclaimed. "I'm so sorry! I didn't know it was you!"

"No problem," He replied calmly picking up the stake and handing it back to me. "If I was in your shoes, I would've done the same thing."

There was a pause as I felt his eyes bearing into mine almost as if he was looking for something. I blushed and immediately looked down and played with a loose strand of hair.

"So . . ." I began.

"What's wrong?" He questioned and I could detect a hint of worry in his voice or was I just imagining it.

It's nothing." I answered looking up.

He shook his head and folded his arms across his chest.

"No," He said forcefully. "Something is bothering you."

And I spilled. I told him everything about what had happened. I told him how I might've lost one of my best friends and how powerless I felt because I wasn't sure if I could get him back. I told him about how Willow was almost killed by a flying dodge ball and I told him about how Giles said the whole thing with Xander was normal. I even told him about how frustrated I was about the situation and how I wished I could just stop being angry.

The best thing was that he listened. He just sat there and listened to me patiently as ranted and raved. He could've left at anytime, but instead he chose to stay. Angel stayed with me and that made all of my anger vanish. After I was done, he nodded.

"Sorry," I finally told him. "I tend to rant a lot."

"No," He interjected. "It's fine." He then stood up and turned to me. "Follow your instincts, Buffy. They're there for a reason."

I was about to ask him another question when he vanished into the darkness. Funny, how he was always leaving as mysteriously as he came. Regardless of his weird disappearances, he still helped me and for that I was grateful. I was going to get to the bottom of this whole Xander-personality thing no matter what! As I began to walk away, I smiled. For the first time that whole day, I smiled.

It was a smile for Angel.

_**Author's Note: **__Review please! _


	3. I Robot, You Jane

_**Author's Note: **__This was hard to write considering that Buffy and Angel are avoiding each other in the episodes, but I gave it my best shot. I hope you all enjoy it!_

"I'm going to—!" I quickly thrust the stake into the incredibly annoying vampire's heart.

"Yeah, that's what they all say," I said to his ashes. Twirling the stake around my fingers, I began to walk further into the cemetery, but I really wanted to go home. While my body was here, my mind was somewhere else. I felt sad. Sad and lonely because I realized that Xander was right. We were doomed. I was never, ever going to have a normal, happy relationship. I would never get married and have kids—hell, I'd even be lucky to live to the age when I could actually get married.

No wedding bells would ever ring for me.

There was a rustle of grass and I quickly spun around, stake poised. He was standing there, watching me and I felt a little happy seeing him. I know that was wrong since he was a vampire and I was the Slayer, but still . . . he took a step back and I called his name.

"Just wanted to make sure you were ok," He mumbled.

"Angel—" I started, but he disappeared into the shadows again. I sighed and frowned. He was the one my heart belonged to and though it wasn't right or normal, I still wanted to be with him. I needed to be with him.

I decided to do one more quick sweep and then go home where I could get in my warm bed and try to make myself hate Angel because of what he was and who I was.

It was going to be a long night.

_**Author's Note: **__Reviews are treasured! _


	4. The Puppet Show

_**Author's Note: **__My favorite chapter so far! Enjoy!_

Let me just say that talent shows suck.

Anyone that says that they're fun or awesome is crazy because talent shows might be the worst form of entertainment on Earth. I mean, c'mon! Who wants to watch a horribly performed magic act or hear a cheerleader try to sing? Not me, that's who!

But, I'm stuck in one all because of that stupid, pathetic, ignorant new Principal. The gang and I make fun of Giles and suddenly we're all stuck with having to do an act. That, on top with my regular slaying duties, is starting to make me stress out.

"You're—!" I jam the stake into the vamp's heart and I sigh. Seriously, I was going to become an old lady at this rate. If I kept stressing out, I was going to get major wrinkles and then I would look like an old lady at thirty and that would be—

Wait, stressing about stressing out was even worse! What am I going to then? God, why did I have to be the Slayer and go to school? Life would be so much easier if I could just be a high school dropout. Besides, I wouldn't live long enough to go to college or anything so why did it matter? I swear sometimes I wonder—

A strong arm pushes me out of the way right as a vamp collides into a tombstone. I look up at my savior and I immediately recognize him. All of my breath seems to leave me as I focus on his face. My mind screams for me to run, but my heart begs me to stay. He doesn't say anything as he grabs the stake I have and uses it to kill the vamp that almost had me for dinner or was it breakfast since it was right after sundown—that's not the point though, Angel was here.

He had saved me.

"Angel—"

"Don't say anything." He orders as I get up. I feel like he's mad at me for something, but I'm not sure.

"Why not?"

"Because it'll just complicate things." He answers quickly as he begins walking into the distance. I grab his coat and pull him back to me. Our eyes meet and I feel a spark pass between us. God, how I wanted him to just kiss me already.

"Then, why did you save me?" I ask honestly. If he truly didn't want us to be talking to each other, then he should've let the vamp eat me. Not that I like that option at all, but that wouldn't complicate things between us at all.

"I . . ." He looks down, unsure of himself. "Be more careful." He then fades into the night.

I place a hand to my heart and feel it pounding beneath me. Why did he keep doing this to me? We had both decided that it would be best if we didn't enter a relationship and yet we kept having these moments. Moments where it felt like the world faded away and all that was left was he and I. It was those moments that I dreamt of every night even though I knew I shouldn't.

"Angel." His name comes out easily on my tongue like I was always meant to say it.

And maybe in another life, I was.

_**Author's Note: **__Review please! _


	5. Nightmare

_**Author's Note: **__The last chapter . . . tear! I really loved this story and I had so much fun working on this chapter and the whole story. I'm sorry it has to end! I hope everyone enjoyed it! Thanks to all the reviewers and I present the last chapter! Enjoy! _

I took another deep breath, trying to calm my heart which was still beating a mile a minute. I had decided that my dad and I would leave tomorrow, but being out here I was starting to regret my decision.

The gang and I had all just lived through our worst nightmares and even though we had, once again, beat the bad guys, I still felt spooked. I had died and then became a vampire. I had wanted to eat Giles and Willow and—the thoughts were just too horrible to bear. I kept pinching myself to remind me that I was ok now, but the scary feeling just wouldn't leave.

Giles had offered to come patrol with me, my guess being because my death was his nightmare and he wanted to make sure that tonight I would survive, but I needed the time to just think to myself. Strangely, the night was quiet and it seemed after the nightmare fiasco that no supernatural beings wanted to come out and play which was just fine with me.

"Buffy," I froze, unsure if his voice was real of if it was my mind playing tricks on me. "Buffy."

"Angel?" I turned around and saw the one that had been plaguing all my dreams, taunting me with promises of a future together and then abandoning me. I'll be honest and say that he looked like hell. He had dark circles under his eyes and his hair was all disheveled. "What—?"

"You're alive," He breathed out in relief. "I thought you had died and I just—" I could see panic mixed with relief in his eyes and I suddenly realized that he must've experienced the nightmares too.

"You're nightmare was me dead?" I questioned cautiously as he took step closer. He placed a hand on my shoulder and squeezed it gently, almost as if he needed to really make sure I was here and alive.

"You were in front of me," Angel began quietly, moving a strand of hair out of her face. "And you were shot right through the heart." He shook his head, trying to dispel the memory that I was sure he was reliving. "And you died and there was nothing I could do. I couldn't save you."

"It's ok," I soothed. "I'm here now." I thought about hugging him, but my brain shouted that he was a vampire and that I should stake him while he was down. But, instead I just pulled him to me and embraced him.

"Buffy," He choked out. "You just—"

"It was just nightmare," I assured him. "I'm still alive."

"I just need to make sure that you stay safe." He told me as we reluctantly let go of each other.

"I am," I told him. "I'm the Slayer and that means freaky powers to protect myself with." He smirked a little and I could see that he was starting to return to his old self.

"I want . . ." He stared at the ground and I could sense what he wanted.

"I want to be with you too." He looked back up, startled and then nodded.

"Maybe one day," Angel said wistfully as he began to head back into the shadows he was so familiar with. "Until then, I'll be there when you need me."

And he was gone.

"One day soon," I prayed to the empty cemetery. "One day really soon, Angel."

I turned back around and resumed patrol, taking comfort in the fact that I would never truly be alone again. He would always be there in the shadows, protecting me. Even if we couldn't be together now, we still cared. And caring would lead to more, right?

He was my protector—the only person who could just sense when I was in danger. I wasn't a damsel in distress and he knew that, but for his sake and my own, just knowing that he was there in case I ever did myself into a situation where I couldn't get out of made me feel calmer. His nightmare would come true one day, we both knew that. But having him there, would at least delay it.

And maybe one day—one not so ordinary day—they could be together.

_**Author's Note: **__Thanks for everything guys, please review! _


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